Category: Idaho Real Estate
Understanding Selling Costs.
Calculating costs of selling a home is one of the biggest struggles I see homeowners having. One of the first consultative elements we have in our process is to help a potential home seller determine their net proceeds, and educate them on the costs of selling a home. Most people hear “costs of selling a... Read More
American Dream Still Includes Home Ownership
By Jolene Barrington, Buyer’s Broker It is no wonder why today’s home buyers are more reluctant than ever to purchase a home. With the “collapse” of the real estate bubble and the current “state of the economy” there is plenty to be concerned by. However, a recent survey published by the real estate giant, Trulia,... Read More
3 Garage Staging Tips
Because garages need love too. Garages can be tricky. This often overlooked catch all space can mean the difference between a sale and no sale. I’ve seen it happen. Garages, just like bedrooms need to be staged. A garage space used as a catch all space and full of clutter tells the buyer that there... Read More
3 Essential Land Buying Tips
Call me strange, but I think land ownership is the coolest thing. Having space around you, dirt, freedom, air. It’s hard to explain. But it’s not all peas and carrots, you need to be careful when buying land. One might think that the absence of a structure means no inspections are necessary, but it’s quite... Read More
Why what you think you know about home inspections may be wrong.
You’ve just got an offer accepted on the home of your dreams. You’ve been advised to hire an inspector to look at the home, but most people don’t understand the true scope of a home inspector. Myth 1: Home Inspections are Code Inspections Generally speaking, a home inspection is NOT a code inspection and has... Read More
Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac Owner Occupancy Rules: 3 things you need to know.
We get a lot of questions from investors looking at Bank Owned Properties. There is a lot of confusion around the owner occupancy rules surrounding many FNMA and FHLMC owner occupancy requirements. It’s not uncommon for the bank to restrict offers to owner-occupied buyers in the first one to two weeks of the initial listing. ... Read More
Owner Financing – 5 things you should know.
One of the more common financing methods in the down market is owner financing. Typically an Owner Finance option is available to sellers who own the property free and clear, or sellers who have banks allowing a seller financed wrap on the existing mortgage, the former is usually the case though. The interest rate is... Read More
Personal property in Real Estate Transactions
It’s bound to happen. A nice shiny piece of personal property catches the eye of a potential buyer and they HAVE TO HAVE IT. I’ve written more personal property in my deals this year than any other year, and this could be because sellers are ever more slim on their bottom line, and as one... Read More
5 Ways to overcome listing fatigue
I’ve seen it happen, an anxious seller painstakingly prepares their home, bends over backwards to get it ready and sets completely unreasonable expectations of themselves for showings. Two weeks into the listing, they are tired, stressed and none of their original plans are getting done. The lawn isn’t mowed, they aren’t making their bed in... Read More
3.8% Tax on Property Sales to fund Healthcare Bill?
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had people tell me this over the past few months, scared sellers telling me that there is going to be a 3.8% tax on the sale of their house in 2012 to pay for the health care bill. I thought to myself the first time, “Now that... Read More
